The Festival of Barrels

It’s never too early to begin thinking about the festival season. Music fans eagerly sold out Coachella in two and a half hours last week, officially beginning this year’s extensive outdoor music season. Us beer folks have a huge festival season to look forward to as well, with TAP NY rapidly approaching in April and a host of huge events in our region being announced. (When do Belgium Comes To Cooperstown tickets go on sale again? I may as well set an Outlook appointment.) There is, however, an outdoor beer festival that is every bit as exciting as its more widely publicized brethren and is taking place now, in the doldrums of January, in the north-of-the-wall wilds of Lake George: the Third Annual Festival of Barrels at the Adirondack Pub & Brewery.

This event has proven to be one of the brewery’s biggest and best events, drawing crowds out into the cold to sample some phenomenal barrel-aged concoctions. Back in 2012, the first year, guests were treated to a spectacular sunny and warm day. Last year, temperatures didn’t break 20, but the outdoor fireplaces were cozy and the beers were boozy enough to provide a false sense of warmth. The forecast for this year is mixed, but it looks like the cold blast we are currently experiencing will ease a bit. Event organizers are hoping for 650 attendees. Being that my birthday is this coming Sunday, I took the liberty to plan my official birthday outing to this year’s Festival of Barrels. I hope you will come up and join me both in celebrating my birthday and sampling some rare, exquisite brews. I couldn’t be more excited. Check out the beers that will be available this year:

The brewery has also invited some well-known friends to offer a taste of their barrel-aged beers, as well:

Olde Saratoga will be pouring their Oatmeal Stout aged a full year in Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrels – 5% ABV

Captain Lawrence will be pouring both their Frost Monster Imperial Stout and their Golden Delcious, both aged in New York State Apple Brandy barrels. (So excited for this.)

Shmaltz will be pouring their R.I.P.A. aged in rye barrels

This is shaping up to be a great event and a nice break from the monotony of off-season beer festivals.The folks at Adirondack know how to throw a party just as well as they know how to brew. It’d be great to see some friendly faces there this year! Look out for the Giddy Up Express. That would be me. (If you’re looking for transportation, let me know. We rented the whole bus.)

I am happy to announce that I am offering up two tickets to this event, courtesy of the Adirondack Pub & Brewery! To enter, please name your favorite barrel aged beer. Bourbon County Stout? Dragon’s Milk? Ironweed-barrel Poor Soldier Porter? Let me know. Winners will be selected at random.

I really enjoyed the Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout that Otter Creek Brewing put out this year. I could go on about all the great barrel aged Hill Farmstead beers, but that would be a little bit too much bragging.